The special day - part 3

Just like the three of us, my cousin and aunt had found it hard to find the elusive wedding venue. I suppose I felt a microscopic bit better that we were not the only ones that had struggled terribly with locating it. My cousin is not a detective nor is he a spy but he could detect from my tone that I was panicking badly. At my absolute wits end. So, I listened, we all listened, as he had instructed me. He was now on loud speaker as Joshua and James listened carefully as he directed us to where we had to go. My cousin had managed to get to the hall after much deliberation with navigation alongside his mother.

My brain was like a bowl of very mushy peas by now, as Joshua drove with the aid of James telling him which way to head according to the newly garnered directions. I was trying to be optimistic and hoping for the best, but in all honesty I had already resigned myself to defeat. There were no red lights as we motored along. If there had been I would have promptly ordered Joshua to drive straight through them. The car couldn't go any legally faster, OK, it was perhaps slightly over 30 miles per hour - but much, much faster and we would have grossly been breaking the law. With the afternoon that I was experiencing I'm sure a policeman on a horse would have appeared from nowhere and beckoned us to stop.

The sun was still gleaming as we could now see the hall on the horizon. We could see it! I could see it with my very own wide and dilated pupils. We drew closer and Joshua didn't even stop the car properly, telling me to go - I hurtled out of it and bounded towards the entrance. I slightly acknowledged the random man stood in the car park then saw my cousin in his snazzy wedding day get up. Red trousers, white blazer and shirt with a black tie. I looked at him and he said: "You're too late, it's over..." My heart sank to my light pink socks. I was gutted. Then he added: "Ha, only joking!" Like I mentioned earlier, in regards to Joshua and James cracking idle jokes - this really wasn't the time for comedy.

I stepped into the hall feeling embarrassed and ashamed of myself. My tail firmly between my legs. There was no way that I could go and sit with my immediate family at the front so I found a seat at the back with other family members and familiar faces. Some looked at me probably a bit confused but I just sat down and stared intently at the front. The simmering tension and anguish was at boiling point and suddenly the proverbial kettle began to whistle. However, rather than steam coming out - it was tears, tears rolled down my face as I began to cry and cry. My sister and her groom where now at the front waiting to make their vows. My sister; my younger sister, my friend, the one who finds certain things funny like I do. The one who laughs at my silliness and doesn't laugh at my silliness. The one who is similar to me in some ways and also very different. She was getting married. I was over come by emotion, guilt and relief. I hadn't missed the entire wedding. Somehow we had made it, I had made it. It wasn't ideal, it wasn't perfect - but I was there.

 

 

The vows were now over. I saw her kiss her new husband on the lips! I was looking at my sister, she looked lovely and radiant. She appeared as though she was floating on a candy flossed coated cloud. She was a married woman now, she had a new surname. A new start for her was to begin. The new man and wife glided down the aisle flanked by all the happy well wishers smiling and looking pleased. I got up and gave my sister a kiss on the cheek and apologised. I was still emotional but happy for my sibling.

The wedding register was signed in a room with a selection of witnesses. Myself, my parents - who obviously asked what had happened to me. The grooms father, who had arrived from overseas the morning of the wedding and looked like he was a bit bewildered due to his long journey. And the bridesmaids and grooms men. All congregated in a small room with the wedding speaker who I didn't initially notice was present - hence why I was slagged him off for repeatedly pronouncing my sisters name incorrectly. Then, I was nudged as to his presence in the room, the poor man looked awkward and sheepishly asked me to please stop. Yes, I felt super embarrassed. I had been too busy yapping away and had stupidly put my stupid foot in it.

Could this day have any more mishaps or moments of blunder. Well, we hadn't even got to the reception yet...

 

 

Demola, TCC